Angel Hopes
by silver thorns
Summary: Just my take on how the first ending of Drakengard should have gone. A little Caim and Angelus, silver thorns style... caimxangelus, or angelusxcaim, or hells, even AC/CA, however you want to say it


just a short thingy on how I think the first ending should have gone. they made it too real. i hate sickeningly happy endings, but caim deserves a little happiness.

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I don't know why I said I'd do it. I just…don't know.

But, seeing Caim's face as he was told that it was all for nothing, I just couldn't do it. Couldn't let everything we had been through crash into oblivion. They needed me. _He _needed me. I knew there wasn't anyone else. I think he did too. All the seals had been broken, and the goddess had been killed. The Seal of Binding, the First, the one who had first sacrificed themselves to protect the earth, was destroyed. Only a being of immense age and wisdom could hold so much power, bear the weight of millions of destinies. The First Seal had been a dragon. It was the only creature that could withstand so much raw energy. And I was the only dragon willing to give my life for humans. But I had grown weary of life. My adventure with Caim was the most interesting thing that had happened to me for over three centuries. Seeing so many die as I lived…it made me sad, unwilling to go on. It made my soul scream for the sleep that so many were allowed. Caim gave me hope. Full of fire and passion, he was perfect. I wouldn't let it go to waste.

He rubbed my snout gently, as he had done so many nights before. Warmed my body, made it tingle and liven. I always had a strange urge to purr when he did it. There was just something so comforting in that simple gesture. I gathered strength from that act, from the warmth of his hand, so soft compared to my hard scales. And, brushing his face lightly with my snout, I announced that I would become the new seal.

I knew he would be sad. What I didn't realise was that it would be more than that. I saw…devastation in those boundless blue eyes. His mind screamed for me not to do it, not to leave him like his parents, like his sister. And for a moment, my heart wavered. But I realised that there was no other way. It hurt to think of the pain I was causing him by doing this, but the pain would be much worse if I let him die knowing that I could have stopped it.

As Verdelet readied the spell, he begged for me to change my mind. We could find others, he said. You don't have to do it. I held on to that voice through out the whole ritual. That beautiful voice. I knew I was privileged to hear it. The voice that had been lost to the world, the one that only I could hear.

The spell burned into my flesh, causing me to scream and thrash. I clawed at Caim with my talons, mad with pain, saw him grit his teeth and tighten his embrace round my neck. I don't think that all the demons in the world could have made him let go. Mad with pain, I almost turned on him. it was only the sight of his wounds, caused by my own claws that stopped me. Horror filled my soul, but he shook off my apologies.

_It was nothing. I have felt worst._

Always brave, until the end. Stubborn. A fool. It was no wonder we made such good pact-partners, held each other so close to our hearts, yet argued and insulted at the drop of a hat. Yes. Life with him was…interesting, to say the least.

I was surprised when I saw his tears. Tiny droplets of pure emotion, falling from the ocean-deep eyes. he turned away slightly, embarrassed at such an emotion. He had to be strong, he couldn't let me see how much he hurt. Laughing softly, I commented wryly on it, on how I didn't think he was human enough to cry. He just held me tightly, stroking my snout gently, touch gentle and caring, so different from the pain of the runes embedded in my flesh.

I told him my name. it was a spur of the moment thing, and one I won't regret. I knew his name, and it was only fair that he should know mine. It was his turn to be surprised. Angelus. In the ancient's language, it means angel.

_My crimson angel. I'll miss you, Angelus._

I purred softly despite the pain. It felt…right, somehow, for him to say it. The first mortal to know my name. and the last. He wouldn't be able to tell it to anyone else. even if by some miracle he regained his voice, he wouldn't break the trust we had. And I knew he would remember me.

Holding his words, wrapping them around me, I finally let go of my body. It started to glow and shimmer, and reluctantly he released his hold on me, but not before he slipped a necklace over one of my horns.

_My mother's necklace,_ he explained. _She said it would always protect whoever wore it. Don't forget. I know I won't._

My body began to sparkle brighter, each particle breaking apart, floating up into the ether. Dragons can't shed tears. But my heart cried both with sadness and joy. It was an emotional moment. I was meant to say something heartbreaking - it was the rules. But I was never one to follow the script.

"Goodbye…foolish human."

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Travelling back to his father's kingdom took longer than usual. Hunting took a turn for the worst. Even the lust for blood and battle had left him completely. It was like his right hand had been cut off. He was just so…numb. His guardian angel was gone. And she wasn't coming back.

He had stared at the stars for a while, hoping that her voice would sound in his head once more, sarcastic and scornful. It was funny, in a way. He would give anything to hear her insult him again, when before he would have done anything to stop it.

He still didn't have his voice back. But that was alright. He had gotten used to it. His muteness had become a part of who he was. Just like she had. How…ironic, that he missed the very creature that had murdered his parents. but he did. More than he would have thought possible.

Staring up at the sky, he screamed her name, praying that she would answer him. he had lost all faith in the gods, but now he begged them to bring her back.

She had used a phrase to describe him once. The 'raging quiet'. And now, his soul was _burning_.

When he finally returned, everything was so alien. The people wanted him to be king. Arioch wanted to kill Seere. Leonard hated his fairy. Verdelet was off searching for another goddess. And Seere was crying about how much he missed Manah. Caim grudgingly showed compassion, knowing how the child felt. But it was becoming too much. There were so many duties, so much to do, so he ran away. He knew it was selfish and cowardly, but it was all too soon. He needed time alone.

So, he paid a visit to the ruins of his own castle. Stood quietly in the doorway to his sister's room, seeing her shadow. Laughing softly, sadly. Remembering. She had loved him, as more than a brother. Manah had laid bare Furiae's heart, and he had turned away, shocked by the revelation. And she had mistaken it for scorn, and she had killed herself. He saw the pain in her eyes, saw how ashamed she was, saw the betrayal. And her last words…

"Don't look…at me…"

He realised how much pain he had caused her by being there, telling her he loved her, holding her when she cried…and all the while she had hidden it behind smiles.

Inuart's room was next. He had never dreamed that his best childhood friend would become one of his worst enemies. And it was because of him, because of his stubbornness that Furiae had died.

But he wasn't. It was Caim's fault for it. Should have been stronger, should have protected her, like he had promised his father he would.

Inuart was just a misguided fool, who's destructive love brought harm to the very person he wanted to protect.

Visiting each room brought painful memories, but it was alright. They helped him to focus. And slowly, he gathered the courage to go to the courtyard.

The words were still there, forming a half ring. So were the chains, and the discarded swords. He could still feel her presence, fiery and alive, laughing at him when he failed at doing some trick or another to impress her, angry words rousing him from self-pity after battle.

But there was something there that shouldn't have been. Someone in a cloak was kneeled down in the centre of _her_ space, the very place that had started this whole mess.

He moved towards the stranger, anger filling his heart, making his body burn. How _dare_ they taint this place? How _dare_ they sit where she had laid? He grabbed their shoulder, letting go in surprise when the hook fell back.

Golden eyes stared up at him in shock from beneath fiery red hair. Darkly tanned skin covered in stolen scraps of cloth.

"I…I…who…are you?" A woman. Perfect in everyway. But her voice was rougher than he would have expected for such delicate lips. Her voice…it sounded…familiar…

But it couldn't be. Could it?

She stammered an apology, and automatically he apologised, rolling his eyes when no voice spoke out.

But she understood.

Keeping his guard up, he helped her up. If she could understand him, she might be a magician. Magicians were impossible to predict. But if she wasn't, then maybe she…

No. it was stupid for even thinking it. There was no way…was there?

_What is her name?_ he wondered, baffled as to why a heart-breakingly beautiful woman was roaming abandoned castles wearing very little.

"Angelus," she answered quietly, not realising that he hadn't spoke.

He froze. _Angelus…_

But…

It was then that he saw the necklace round her slender neck. He recognised it instantly.

_Where did you get that?_ He demanded, forgetting for a moment the strangeness of the situation as hope flared its wings.

"I don't know. I can't remember anything except my name…"

Slightly gentler, he led her back to the castle. The greatest of treasures broke free, spreading its wings, soaring from its cage. And all the while he stared at that necklace, daring to hope once more. Maybe finally, things would go his way. He asked if he could see the necklace, and she handed it to him, slightly flustered that he had taken such a sudden interest in her. He stared at the little amulet with amazement. There was no mistaking it.

It was his mother's necklace.


End file.
